Gentle Lowly VIII

Romans 5:8 CSB

But God proves his own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

INTRO—

Momentum…

Sustainability…

How do we keep on with the encouragement and enthusiasm in our lives in response to the truth we have read (so far) in this book?

Ultimately, we simply maintain our focus on Jesus!

Heb 12.1-2 “Therefore, since we also have such a large cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us lay aside every hindrance and the sin that so easily ensnares us. Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us, keeping our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. For the joy that lay before him, he endured the cross, despising the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

In this book, Dane Ortlund shows us the beautiful context which will help us maintain momentum in righteousness…in faithfulness…in our lives:

We need to see the heart/love of Jesus...

Then & Now. [Romans 5.6-11]

Romans 5:6–11 CSB

6 For while we were still helpless, at the right time, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For rarely will someone die for a just person—though for a good person perhaps someone might even dare to die. 8 But God proves his own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 How much more then, since we have now been justified by his blood, will we be saved through him from wrath. 10 For if, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, then how much more, having been reconciled, will we be saved by his life. 11 And not only that, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received this reconciliation.

“While we were...”

(6-7) “…still helpless…Christ died for the ungodly”

(8) “…still sinners…Christ died for us” (proving God’s LOVE for us)

(10) “…enemies…reconciled to God through the death of his son”

“Much more then...” (shall/now)

(9) “…will we be saved…from wrath” (through him)

(10) “…will we be saved…by his life” (having been reconciled)

(11) “…we have now received this reconciliation.” (through our Lord Jesus Christ)

Forevernore! [Ephesians 2.4-7]

Ephesians 2:4–7 CSB

4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of his great love that he had for us, 5 made us alive with Christ even though we were dead in trespasses. You are saved by grace! 6 He also raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavens in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might display the immeasurable riches of his grace through his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.

“So that in the coming ages he might display the immeasurable riches of his grace through his kindness to us in Christ Jesus” (2.7):

“It means that one day God is going to walk through the wardrobe into Narnia, and we will stand there, paralyzed with joy, wonder, astonishment, and relief.” (Ortlund, 209)

“It means that as we stand there, we will never be scolded for the sins of this life, never looked at askance, and never told, ‘Enjoy this, but remember you don’t deserve this.’” (Ortlund, 209)

We are told that our eternal home is set for us to enjoy the “riches of his grace through his kindness.”

“It means that our fallenness now is not an obstacle to enjoying heaven.” (Ortlund, 210)

We could actually say that it serves as the springboard to enjoying heaven…We see God’s grace and kindness more readily in the areas where we can’t deny we need it.

We will not experience any lessening of the application of the heart of Jesus toward us when we step out of this life into eternity.

To the End. [John 13.1]

John 13:1 CSB

Before the Passover Festival, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.

WAIT! I thought you just told us that we will know and experience the heart of Jesus—the love of God—forevermore! What’s this about ‘to the end’?!?!

Indeed, this is true…Let’s think about the many chapters of our lives—growing up, school (graduations), job(s), moving, married, death...

…(like the one John describes for us in Jesus’ life here in John 13).

“Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.”

John 10.3 “The gatekeeper opens it for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.”

John 10.10 “A thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance.”

John 14.1-3 “Don’t let your heart be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? If I go away and prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you to myself, so that where I am you may be also.”

John 14.6 “Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

CONCL—

Matthew 11.28 “Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”

“That which keeps men off is, that they know not Christ’s mind and heart…The truth is, he is more glad of us than we can be of him. The father of the prodigal was the forwarder of the the two to that joyful meeting. Have you a mind? He that came down from heaven, as himself says in the text, to die for you, will meet you more than halfway, as the prodigal’s father is said to do…O therefore come unto him. If you knew his heart, you would.” (Goodwin, in Ortlund, 215-6)

Matthew 11:28–30 CSB

“Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take up my yoke and learn from me, because I am lowly and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”